Of the various robots used for automated assembly, the Cartesian robot is the least complex. Also known as a rectilinear, rectangular or gantry robot, a Cartesian robot can only move its end effector in straight lines along the X, Y and Z axes. Some Cartesians have an additional axis of motion, in which the end effector rotates about the Z axis or parallel to it.
Cartesians may not be as “sexy” as a high-speed SCARA or a six-axis robot, but that’s also their chief advantage. “In many applications, a SCARA or a six-axis robot would be overkill,” says Brad Klippstein, product manager for Smart Mechatronix at Bosch Rexroth. “You don’t need five or six axes of motion for a simple pick-and-place operation. And, programming a six-axis robot is difficult.